What is Machine Learning and How Does it Play a Part in Transportation Security?

December 22, 2017

Machine learning is what people typically mean when they talk about artificial intelligence, but is it related to transportation security at all?

There’s a lot of buzz around artificial intelligence; what exactly it even is, whether or not it all the advances in AI will soon lead to a conscious being, or if AI is dangerous. When we talk about artificial intelligence these days, we’re usually referring to one specific kind of AI that has been easily implemented in many kinds of systems: machine learning. Machine learning plays a big part in transportation security and what Gatekeeper Security does, so it’s important that we take some time to understand what machine learning actually is.

What is Machine Learning?

Machine learning is a field of computer science, in which we give computers the tools to be able to “learn” without being explicitly programmed what to do. We’re able to essentially feed these programs data and observations from the real world, which the program is then in turn able to translate all that information into improved behaviors. What this means is that machine learning can make a computer learn how to do one thing very well. In the world of transportation security, for example, that may mean being able to recognize what a driver’s face looks like—and continually getting better at being able to do so accurately.

Why Does it Matter?

Some people think that the reason we care about machine learning, and by extension artificial intelligence, is because it allows for autonomous processes to occur. This is partly true, but it’s also a matter of efficiency: when a computer is able to learn how to read lips, for instance, it’s capable of pouring through huge amounts of video footage and assigning accurate subtitles based on its experiences. Thanks to the huge amounts of processing power many of these systems have, they’re able to look at a large grouping of data and find patterns that would either be missed by humans or would take an unreasonable amount of time for them to acquire. The applications for machine learning are just about endless, but today we’re interested in what it can do for transportation security.

Cameras That Learn

We’re already using machine learning in transportation security. There’s been huge amounts of development in terms of threat recognition; being able to tell whether or not a car or train carries the potential of risk and then alerting security personnel to any such threats. As we get better at programming with machine learning in mind, we’re going to see more systems capable of learning, improving themselves, and better able to help us keep roads, parking lots, and border crossings safe.

Intelligent Transportation Security With Gatekeeper

Gatekeeper Security’s suite of intelligent optical technologies provides security personnel with the tool to detect today’s threats. Our systems help those in the energy, transportation, commercial, and government sectors protect their people and their valuables by detecting threats in time to take action. From automatic under vehicle inspection systems, automatic license plate reader systems, to on the move automatic vehicle occupant identifier, we offer full 360-degree vehicle scanning to ensure any threat is found. Throughout 30 countries around the globe, Gatekeeper Security’s technology is trusted to help protect critical infrastructure. Follow us on Facebook, Google+, and LinkedIn for updates about our technology and company.